The invention is related to a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and, in particular, a method for displaying on a computer screen images which are temporally related to each other, indicating the temporal relationship among them, while optionally supplying the displayed images with various levels of functionality based on their displayed size.
As well known in the art, a Graphical User Interface allows a user of a computer system to view, manipulate, etc. images on a screen in a simple and user-friendly manner. The displayed images may be graphical or textual. As complexity and functionality of computer systems increase, however, the limited display area of the computer screen becomes a highly valuable "commodity." Clearly, the display area must be utilized wisely to accommodate the increased system complexity, as correctly pointed out in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,466 to Perlin et al, for example.
In particular, simultaneous display of multiple images on a screen presents somewhat conflicting interests between programmers and users. While the programmers would like to utilize the full capability of the system, which may be quite complex requiring several images to be shown on the screen, they are constrained by the users' desire to have simple and "user-friendly" displays. Understandably, users do not want to be overburdened with a hard-to-understand display even if it offers increased system functionality.
Undoubtedly, the currently popular windows environment provides the vehicle to partially reconcile those conflicting interests. A multiple image display with various functionalities is accomplished on one screen without sacrificing the "user-friendliness" of the system. Users have immediate access to several applications, for example, and can switch between them with ease and simplicity.
Nevertheless, the display of temporally-related windows is currently deficient in several aspects. Namely, the display of those windows created, i.e., "opened", prior to the currently active open window is substantially hidden from view, appearing stacked behind the current window. Alternatively, multiple windows may be fully visible to a viewer, i.e., occupying substantially the same or smaller display areas on the screen for example, but fail to indicate to the viewer the existence of a temporal relationship between them.